MSNBC Host Slimes Leathers: 'This Chick Is so Bats**t'

Opening a discussion for his panel to discuss Sydney Leathers’ recent interview with Howard Stern wherein she revealed that she is leaving open the option of doing a pornographic film, Roberts resorted to name-calling by insulting the woman who was lured into lurid on-line activity by New York’s serial sexter:

Meanwhile, this chick is so bat****. I mean, excuse me, bat-you-know-what. Excuse me, but Leathers reportedly considering a porn deal now, so that’s why I say that this whole thing is such a big mess…And I do want to apologize that I had the slip of the tongue right there. That was not very professional on my part. I do apologize.”

As WaPo‘s Erik Wemple points out, Roberts is probably only apologizing for the profanity and not for calling the 22-year-old a “chick.”

Roberts clearly feels emboldened to be able to use this language considering Leathers represents one of the only categories of women who can be insulted with impunity. She helped bring down a liberal hero. The fact that the insulting language just rolled off his lips so easily is probably an insight into the conversations in the MSNBC make-up room. Misogynistic and insulting language is fine if the target is a political enemy, just look at what Keith Olbermann got away with for years on the same network.

One wonders what Andrea Mitchell or Rachel Maddow would have to say if Shep Smith referred to a woman as a bats**t chick.